I have good news fuzzy friends!! An update on Dweezil and "oops ferret math". Dooks to all!! Most of you know that I just became a mommy to Vin Dweezil II, via Petco. Well, he is a baby yet - and is soooo very hyper.and is just a little "too much" for my older kids, Artemus and Ricky (a.ka. Romulus). I have been telling my husband that since the day he came home...picture this: ADD, ODD and OCD - all wrapped up into one fuzzy little furry ball of fire..well, you get the picture here. So - in when my attempts to con my hubbie into getting another younger kid failed, I did what any good ferret Mommy would do. I snuck around behind his damn back and did it!!! Enter- Zeus. I had been contacting the local animal shelters to see if they had any fuzzies turned in. As sad as it sounds, there are a lot of folks who buy ferts for their kids, significant others, etc for Christmas - and when they FINALLY discover how much time and energy go into these guys - they ceremoniously "dump" them - into our local shelters, pet shops, etc. So - while I was deviously plotting on how I would get another fert into the house without my husband knowing, (he took Helena's death worse than I did, if you can imagine that - and said what we all say: NO MORE - I CAN'T/WON'T go thru this again.), someone was "plotting" on my side - to make it possible.. **Thank you Ferret God** ..Now keep in mind, the part where I said YOUNGER kit - someone who could "keep up" with the Dweezil...when I called our shelters - I was told that they had 2 fuzzies there. They told me that they had been found in a TAPED UP box, on the side of the road. When the box was opened, there were two - starving, emaciated, flea encrusted kids, no blankies, no food, no water. Sidebar prayer: "please Ferret God, lead me to the person who did this to them"...anyways - they ended up in the County lock-up - where it was discovered that they were indeed starving, one of them had a bad upper respiratory infection, and the other minor things going on with them. They also thought ferret # 893690, (newly renamed Zeus ) was not going to make it - he was staggering when trying to walk, and just in horrid shape. They said he was probably 7 or 8 (a lot they know) and that they had to put him into the clinic so that he could get 24 hour care, and in 3 days - they said he was doing phenomenally and was much improved. These guys had been there since 12/28, I was working - and by the time I got there after work, they had adopted out one of them (I really gave em the what for on that - splittin these kids up after what they were thru?). So I went in to meet the remaining lil guy -and a vet tech said: I think he has some health issues, let's go ask the vet. She also said he was "quite old" and probably wouldn't last long. Off to the vet we go. Now I have already examined the little shaver from his nose to his toes - and I did not see any signs whatsoever of adrenal disease - (no I am not stupid enough to think that it should not be checked out, so no worries kids- and I wasn't about to tell her he was no where near as old as they thought.) Anyways, the vet stated that she thought he was adrenal - and they were probably going to "put him down". She based this on a "physical" "squeeze" she gave him. After she was done picking her teeth up off the floor, dusting off the dirt from where I cold-cocked her - she said: Hey, how about fostering him for us? So I go back to the other section - to fill out paperwork and low and behold there was another woman there, finishing up HER paperwork to get the lil guy. I thought I was going to lose him, after all I had just done......BUT Ferret God intervened once more. The woman and I had a chat - I explained to her that he was possibly adrenal - and would cost her an arm and a leg (please forgive me for that one) - and asked her if she had the money for that....long story short - she changed her mind (thank you!!). One lst hurdle, the shelter folks were trying REALLLY hard to get me to "come back tomorrow" - as it was close to closing time - but I was not going to leave that kid there, all alone, in a cold - stinky room, filled with cats. He'd already been thru enough and I wasn't about to leave there without him - sick or not. Noper. They got the hint when I sat down and said: I will not leave here without him After jumping through the usual hoops at a county shelter - 1 hour later, ferret # 893690, now Zeus, was on his way home with me.. So - I got him home, snuck him in behind my husband and opened the spare cage where I am going to "quarantine" until we are sure he is 100%. Then I acted surprised and said: Oh honey!!! Looookkkk!! The Ferret God has brought us a present!!! He didn't buy it - but when he opened the cage to "just peek" at him, Zeus walked up and planted a kiss, square onhis nose. Something none of the other ferrets will do to him. He was hooked from that second on. Our "quite old" baby is probably closer to 3 years old - and is TNT. Dweezil is the Match. When I set Zeus on the floor - he bounced, dooked, jumped straight up and down and generally - was so happy to be out of a cold box, a nasty smellin cage - and had FREE ROAM!! He looked at me - and I swear I saw tears of happiness on his little fuzzy face...so I let them all play for a bit. Dweezil and Zeus - immediate bond!!! Yesh!!!! Ricky and Artemus gave me "thank you" kisses - as it relieved THEM of having to try and keep up with him. Zeus and Dweezil - faster than a speeding bullet!!! They all disappeared, 10 minutes later....we found them all, in the china cabinet (no don't ask.) - Artemus was the mattress. Ricky was the bottom sheet - Zeus the blanket and Dweezil, the throw pillows. Need I say more? Happy days to you all, and may the good Ferret Lord bless you and your fuzzies!!!!! Kim and Her (still missing one) Army of Fuzzie Albuquerque Idiots Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, and not greedy for what I want..... [Posted in FML issue 5136]